Happy Father's Day!

Written 6/15/14

Hi guys!

Shoutout to the best Dad in the whole world... I love you Dad! Happy Father's day! :) I don't know if you all know how cool my dad is, but he is the one who taught me how to sweep, how to clean the kitchen, how to plunge a toilet, how to cry at church, how to work hard, how to dress up and play with the kids, how to balance your time, and how to read footnotes in the scriptures- all of which has come in more than handy out here in the mission field. Thank you Dad! I love you!

It'll be a short email today because we get to go to BACOLOD today!! Woot woot! Civilization at last! I'm stoked. Also, we have Zone Conference tonight in the mission home, so that means bottomless ice cream and a really excited Sister Luke and Sister Oquias.

This week was fabulous. B.K., B.E., and A. all got baptized (cousins of VJ and the kids of a less active member). They are the cutest things ever, and now we are working on their Aunt's boyfriend. The work continues here in Manapla. Have I mentioned how cool this place is?

We saw miracles this week. Brother R. (the grandpa of A.M. and the only nonmember in the family) let us teach him this week. TWICE. And he wasn't drunk. It was amazing! He totally felt the Spirit, and Sister and I were directed by the Spirit in what to say, even though we were nervous and unsure. Looking back on these 9 months I'm so grateful for where I'm at and for who I am, and the fact that I can be even better! I've become more familiar with the whisperings of the Spirit and how He speaks to me, and that is something so comforting. The mission is really a refining time.

I've been studying lately on conversion, in order to better help my investigators and members experience conversion. especially the conversion of Lamoni when he was taught by Ammon. Lamoni is a golden convert (he even gives referrals!) and as I was reading in the Book of Mormon, I realized that I don't know all of my families personal conversion stories. When was it that you became fully invested in the gospel? When and how did your conversion happen? Who was influential in your conversion? I would love to know anything you would like to share with me.

Mom, thank you for teaching me how to play Charades when I was younger... We played it at an FHE the other night and my team won. We owe it all to you ;)

Moroni 10:32 has become such a wonderful scripture to me. "Come unto Christ and be perfected in Him". I know that through His grace, we gain full access to His Atonement. It is an infinite and eternal atonement, and none of us are denied access to it, if we choose to repent. What a wonderful invitation; repent and He will receive us. I testify of that.

Love you all, keep up your missionary efforts! Shoutout to the Taylor family for their awesome missionary efforts this week. No effort is wasted.

Love always,

Your Missionary

1. Cuties.

2. Baptism!